Thursday, October 16, 2014

Health Hero

In honor of Health Literacy Month, I'm writing a post on my Health Hero. Health has a different meaning to almost every person. If you look at 100 Instagram accounts, healthy can be defined as thin, muscular, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, yogi, or Crossfitter. For me, the meaning of health has evolved from a not so healthy perspective in my late teens and early 20s (fat free crazes and being as skinny as possible), to a much different meaning these days.

I would like to introduce you to my Health Hero. His name is Levi and he stands at about 36 inches tall and weighs in at about 30 pounds. This little man has taught me more in his last two years about health than I have learned in the last -ahem- 30 years.

Here are the things my health hero has taught me:

1. Strength training is important- those muscles are about so much more than aesthetics- they get you where you want to be, help you pick up heavy objects, and can direct people to the beach, if needed.

2. Food is nourishment and there is nothing like sitting down, relaxing, and enjoying a meal together. My little man has taught me that food literally sustains life- you need proper nutrition and calories to have energy and get the most out of your day. Of course treats are important too, but you feel your best when you eat well.

3. An important part of health is lowering stress levels. We all thrive when we are around friends, pets, and loved ones. For my health hero, we're still considered cool enough to be in his presence, so we spend as much time as we can going on adventures and enjoying each other's company.

4. Exercise is a huge part of my health hero's life. We run, jump, do yoga, and pushups together. For kids, exercise is play time, and not a chore like it is for a lot of adults, so we enjoy playing together. He's much better conditioned than I am (notice the vein on my forehead from doing pushups).

5. A healthy environment is so much more than just inside the home, and for my health hero, nature is a huge part of his health. He is always asking to go to the beach, to play in the dirt, and to go outside. He has taught me how fun it is to crunch in the leaves (if Fall ever gets here), play in the sand, and dig in the dirt (so much dirt)!

Most importantly, my health hero has taught me that it is my responsibility to take care of my own health. I intend to be around for a very long time to watch my little health hero grow up and then run screaming to travel the world once my health hero can sustain himself. Well at least a girl can always dream!

I was contacted by Andrea of Oscar Health to write this post and it was a great opportunity to get back into blogging. Please note I didn't get compensation or sponsorship for this post. At Oscar Health, theyprovide health insurance to those living in New York and New Jerseyand offer many features that help members be proactive about their
health. If you're on the East Coast, check them out if you have any interest.Hope you're all doing well and I'll check in soon!